Friday, March 30, 2007

Working from home, or having a home business is what many people claim they would like. My question is do they really have any idea what having their own business entails? The term home is simply the place where the business will be conducted, it really doesn't mean anything. Yet everyone sees the commercials showing jackasses running around in tennis shorts and driving nice cars, saying they work from home and make some excessive amount of money. What people refuse to realize is that this is all BS designed to get your name and phone number so that information can be sold to sharks trying to sell you "the next big thing". If you call the 800 number and give them your personal contact information...WATCH OUT!

If you truly want to work from home, there's only one way to be successful. That's to follow your passion. That is, have your enterprise revolve around that which you feel passionate about. Everyone has a passion for something. It could be stocks, football, fishing, reading, raising children, running, selling, dogs, pets, or whatever. The point is to have your enterprise revolve around that which you have a passion for. Otherwise you won't put in the necessary work to make it a success. If your enterprise ends up feeling like a job, you're in trouble. Remember what the great Mark Twain said, "Make a vacation out of your vocation, and you'll never work a day in your life." I realize that this quote may sound a bit corny, but it's true nonetheless.

The motivating fact6or for working from home cannot be to make money. If it is you will fall into the various traps that unscrupulous companies lay, such as the 800 numbers making outrageous claims. Structure your enterprise so it revolves around your passion and the money will follow. Think about it. Do you really think that anyone who has achieved any real level of what the world calls success does it solely for the money? For example, do you really think Tiger Woods plays golf because of the money that he receives for doing it? Or Bill Gates. Do you really think he does what he does foe money? No they don't. They both do what they do because they have a true passion for it.

The bottom line is that working from home is a very real possibility. Just don't think you can be successful, truly successful, without following your passion. It just won't happen. You'll be disappointed again and again if you're motivating factor is money or the promise of money.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

At present, being employed and working from home with absolutely no commute to the office is generally unheard of. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 10% of the NSW workforce Teleworks. This is where they still have to venture into their office, however also have the opportunities to take work home. It may sound like they get a great lifestyle, however, in truth, they still are bound by employer agreements- they still have to ask to have holidays, they still only get paid what their employer is willing to give them etc.

Co- Owner of Memories 2 Movies; Kelly Mouriliyan; says ‘the reality is that employment from home is extremely hard to find. You need professional skills, and you are still required to commute into the office now and then. I decided to become my own boss and really set my own hours’.

But before you even go down the path of looking around to start a business from home, there are a few things you should know before deciding that working from home is actually for you.

*You will be in your house most of the day- every day. This could really start to suck! Your house should be your sanctuary and if you start to mix work with your home, your security and sanctuary could start to feel invaded.

*You may have children running around and that can cause heaps of problems- especially if they get into things that they really shouldn’t (ie, products or papers etc) this can make it extra hard to talk on the phone or even appear professional to potential customers.

*Your social contact will be limited- especially if you have an E- Business. You will be limited to staring at the computer and start calling your kids or friends ‘Google’ or start screaming out ‘Yahoo” at the top of your lungs, or something similar…..

*Starting up a business will take loads of effort and time to set up and you will receive minimal profits for the first few months to years.

Statistics from the ABS reveal that business survival can be limited by whether or not you have employees in your business. Of the new business entries in 2003-04, 50% of these new non-employing businesses were still going in June 2006, compared to 80% of new employing businesses. (src-ABS media release-26/2/07)

Now, ask yourself this question; “Why do I want to work from home?”

The most common reason I hear to this question is because you need some extra money, but can’t afford to pay for childcare. I hear you on this one!!!However, this in itself is not a good reason for starting up a business from home - especially when there is a high chance your kids will end up going to childcare anyway – as your business and your professionalism depends on having a quiet environment in which to work constructively.Tash Hughes, Owner of Word Constructions says “I started my business from home so I could be with my daughters and do what I love, but it isn’t always easy to get away form the kids enough to actually get some work done! So I made use of family day care and occasional care.”

“Working from home around small children is a challenge, and certainly makes life interesting, but it is doable.” says Melissa Khalinsky- owner of Business Mums Network. “You need to plan many things around the children, especially making telephone calls! Take advantage of sleep and rest times, daycare, play dates, and any other opportunity for some uninterrupted time to do tasks that require close concentration”

If you want to work from home for the sense of achievement it brings in owning your own business, and the true flexibility your own business can give you, then being your own boss is a great option!Owner of Real Mums, Amanda Cox (aka Mad Cow) says ‘I get to express my creativity and do what I really love and want to be doing. I’m not helping someone else fulfill their dream, and my ideas aren’t being stifled.’

So, What now?? If you plan on starting your own business, but have no clue as to where to start, here are a few steps to follow:

1) Visit www.homebusinessconnections.com.au to get some ideas about businesses from home and for some free, unbiased advice on working from home.2) Research!! And ensure you do lots and lots of it!! Ask yourself these few questions:-“Is my business unique?”-“If not, do I offer something else my competitors don’t?”-“Is there a target market for my business?”-“Is there room for potential growth?”If you need some help in answering these questions, I suggest you employ the services of a marketing or business coach to help you get going.3) Decide on a business name and then do the appropriate checks to ensure it’s not taken!!4) Visit www.business.gov.au for more information on the legalities of starting your own business. Ensure you comply with all regulations imposed by the government and your local council5) Get yourself registered on some networking forums or groups. These are highly valuable and the support and resources you can get from them will propel your business forward.

So before you keep wishing you could work from home, have a good hard think about why!

Tired of having to wake up early just so you can avoid heavy traffic and arrive at your office before the clock says you are too early for the afternoon session? There might be a solution to that but it takes guts, talent and lots of hard work and determination.

You can avoid all the negative things associated with going to the office everyday by investing in a home based business. As the term denotes, a home based business refers to a business venture that is based right in the comforts of your home.

Most people dream of a home based job not only because it offers them an opportunity to work at home sans the hassle of going out and traveling to work everyday but also because of it financial rewards. A home based business may be risky because one never knows what fate awaits his business venture. However, a person who has successfully established a home based business has struck gold.

A home based business affords one all the freedom to do as he pleases and to operate his business using his own style and skills. On top of that, a home based business requires little capital and low overhead. Compared to a mall-based business which requires expensive rentals, a home based business requires no rent at all and this can be a favorable factor in the success of the business.

A person starting up a home based business will usually choose a business which is already familiar to him either because he is already practically in that business or it is his hobby. In such case, it is presumed that he already has most of the equipment needed to start the business. Most homes already have telephone connections so using a telephone for your home based business would no longer be an additional expense.

If you are already equipped with computers and printers you can also use them in your home based either for printing marketing leaflets or for setting up an inventory. You can even make your computer the basis of your new home business catering to the printing and computer requirements of your neighborhood.

A home business does not only allow minimal capital but it also creates savings for the businessman. The savings can be in the form of your budget for fuel, working clothes, vehicle depreciation and time which would be otherwise expended if you work somewhere else.

If you work for someone else, you get a fixed amount every month no matter the amount of effort you exert in your work. If you own a home based business, what you will earn will depend on how industrious you are and how dedicated you are to your business. Simply said, the more effort you exert in a home based business the better your financial rewards will be.